Capt. Brijesh Chowta, Member of Parliament for Dakshina Kannada, has urged Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to intervene and ensure permanent, regular employment for members of 115 project-displaced families (PDFs) who lost their land for a project now operated by GAIL Mangalore Petrochemicals Limited (GMPL).
In a recent letter to the Minister, Capt. Chowta said the issue dates back to 2012, when 115.25 acres of land were acquired from local families for setting up a purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant by the erstwhile JBF Petrochemicals Limited (JBFPL). Under the original lease deeds signed on September 29, 2012, and December 9, 2012, a binding commitment was made to provide priority for full-time, regular employment to a minimum of 115 members of these displaced families. Following the acquisition of the plant by GAIL (India) Limited through the NCLT resolution plan, the newly formed subsidiary GMPL legally inherited these displacement and rehabilitation obligations.
The letter said that, for a prolonged period, the absorption process remained stalled. As documented in GMPL's internal communication (Letter No. GMPL/MSEZL/15), the management initially resisted direct, permanent engagement. It cited restrictive Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) guidelines on open competitive recruitment, suggesting short-term contract arrangements instead. This was strongly opposed by the local families and the district administration, as the Karnataka government had explicitly clarified that fulfilling the original land-acquisition lease conditions was a mandatory legal obligation arising from the takeover, and not a case of fresh public recruitment.
The letter said that, after Mr. Puri's intervention on August 7, 2024, the ministry swiftly issued an official directive on August 8, 2024 (File No. L-11011/5/2023-GP-II), fast-tracking the recruitment. "Consequently, the GMPL management formally assured my office that all hurdles had been resolved and that the employment process would be completed successfully."
The MP further wrote: "However, a major grievance has now arisen during the actual issuance of the appointment offers. Contrary to the permanent, regular employment that was promised and legally mandated under the original rehabilitation terms, GMPL has started issuing offer letters stipulating that the 'engagement will be initially for a period of five years. Subsequently, the engagement period will continue to be extended further for one or multiple term(s) of up to five years.’”
"This unexpected deviation has caused deep distress and widespread dissatisfaction among the PDF families. Having permanently surrendered their ancestral land and livelihoods for the country's industrial development, a temporary five-year contract leaves their future secure-less and volatile. It defeats the very spirit of the historical resolution we achieved under your esteemed guidance."
Capt. Chowta requested the minister to direct the management of GAIL and GMPL to honour their original commitment in letter and spirit.
"The offer letters must be revised to grant permanent, regular employment to the eligible members of these 115 project-displaced families, ensuring complete justice for them," the letter concluded.
Published - July 26, 2026 06:53 pm IST